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THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

“THE STAR THAT ASTONISHED THE WORLD!”

ANDCHRIST-MASS, WHAT IS IT

REALLY ALL ABOUT?

Edited November 3rd, 2013

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The Visit of the Magi

Matthew 2:1-3 (NIV) “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

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Why was Herod disturbed and why all Jerusalem with him?

Herod was disturbed because he was a descendant of Esau, whose family hailed from Edom.  He was a descendant of Esau not his brother Jacob. In other words, he was not a Jew and he was not only an Edomite but also part Arab. 

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The Edomites had been forced to convert to Judaism when the Jewish nation conquered Edom about 100 BC, and by 63 BC, when Rome first gained influence in the area, Herod's father (Herod Antipas the First) had risen to become chief advisor to the King.

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Herod’s father ingratiated himself with the Roman authorities, and civil war in Judea allowed him to take control.He made his son Herod procurator or administrator of Galilee.  Now the Jews had to live with a new dynasty in Jerusalem - Herod's Idumaean Dynasty, and foreigners on the throne.   And all the might of the Roman Empire would keep him there.

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Marc Antony who was a Roman politician, general and Cleopatra’s lover, had promoted Herod tetrarch or ruler of a quarter of the province of Judea. Herod Senior died in 43 BC.

Parthia, the remnant of the once glorious Persian empire, lay just east of Judea.  The Parthian empire spanned about a million square miles, Judea covered barely 1,300. Parthia had not been conquered by the Romans and was outside Roman control.

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The Parthians,  saw in the death of Herod Antipas I, an opportunity, invaded Israel and succeeded in putting the Jewish king, Antigonus, back on the Judean throne. Herod fled. In 40 B.C., the Roman Senate, named Herod "King of the Jews".  War ensued and the Roman Army won.  But it took three more years of war for Herod to reclaim his throne.

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Herod knew that the Judean public hated him as a usurper and counterfeit Jew.  He knew that Roman backing was fickle, so he spent the next 30 years executing various family members as possible threats to his throne.  Enter the Magi who were Persians, which in the days of Herod meant Parthian.  The Magi were Parthian court advisers who actually chose Parthian kings! 

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Herod now has an entourage of Parthian court officials -- Magi, with the power to both enthrone and depose rulers in Parthia -- ride into Jerusalem and ask for "He who has been “born King of the Jews!“

Herod’s worst fears had realized.And all Jerusalem with him, because with a new Jewish ruler born, they had every reason to expect a third civil war.

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Matthew 2:4-12 (NIV) When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' “ (Micah 5:2)

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Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.“ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

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When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” End Bible Quote.

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Through the computer program “Starry Night” we now know that astronomical events that took place during a 20-month period from May 3 B.C. to January 1 B.C. were possibly the most remarkable series of celestial events since creation. At the time, these celestial events inspired many wonderful interpretations by the priests, astrologers, and politicians of the time.

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Moreover, the celestial pageantry occurred when the entire Roman Empire was in celebration. To Rome and to Augustus Caesar, it was as though the heavens were confirming their greatness. But after a year of euphoria, a visit of several wise men (Magi) to Jerusalem—seeking audience with whom they knew would be the greatest king ever—doused the euphoria and replaced it with a paranoia that would trouble kings and emperors for several years to come.

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Who were the Magi?

The Magi, which means Magician or wise men, were Zoroastrian priests of the ancient Medes and Persians. The Bible tells us Daniel the Prophet, was once in charge of the Magi of the Medo/Persian Empire! Daniel 4:9. “O Belteshazzar (Daniel), master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret causes you trouble, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen and its meaning”.

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It has now been proven that the Magi knew through a fulfillment of the sign later recorded in revelation 12:1, that the promised Messiah had been born in Judea. They had traveled to Jerusalem to worship Him!

The scriptures tell us that, when they arrived in Jerusalem, they immediately began asking where they could find the newborn King of the Jews!

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When Herod heard of this he called them to him. After departing from Herod, the star through “retrograde motion” seemed to stop over Bethlehem (about six miles to the south) so they immediately went to Bethlehem.

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1.) “For we have seen His star in the east” said the Magi! Was the Star of Bethlehem an actual star as the Bible mentions or was it an angel as some have taught?

2.) Did a star lead the Magi to Bethlehem?

3.) How does a star “stop”?

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Genesis 1:14. And God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide between the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and for appointed seasons, and for days and years;”

Answer: The star of Bethlehem was an actual star. God said He created the heavenly bodies or stars for “signs”!

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This is affirmed in Isaiah 40:26 (ANET) which tells us: “Lift up your eyes on high, And behold, Who has created these things, Who brings out their host* by number? He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for He is strong in power; not one fails.”

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*The word host is Strong’s number H6635 and means a mass of persons (or figurative things), especially regularly organized for war (an army);

These scriptures tell us there is a definite order and purpose for the heavenly bodies and that God named the heavenly bodies. What names did He give them?

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We learn two names from Amos 5:8 (ANET) “Seek Him Who created the *Pleiades and *Orion, and Who turned the deep darkness into morning, and Him Who darkened the day into night. Seek Him Who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth -- the Lord is His name.”

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The Magi knew the promised “King of Jews” had been born in Judea through their knowledge of true astrology and not the perverted use of today, and astronomy. This convinced them to set out for Judea to worship the newborn King!

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The idea that the Magi were led by an Angel was the result of individuals not understanding the scriptures. Ernest L. Martin, wrote in his book “The Star that Astonished the World”, Pages 30-31, “The Magi Saw an Actual Star. There is no doubt that the New Testament is using normal astronomical terms to describe these events.

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The narrative is clearly showing that the Magi observed an ordinary star (or planet) ascending above the eastern horizon which they interpreted as the sign that a Jewish king was now within his nativity period (being born)(being born).

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It was a "star" that intrigued them, so it must have been in some unusual relationship or aspect with other celestial bodies. The Magi were so impressed by it that they made their long, difficult journey to Jerusalem with costly gifts to present to the new king.

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After hearing their account, King Herod and all Jerusalem were equally persuaded that the "star" was significant.

Remember, this period of time was one when astrological interpretations made by first-class professionals were looked on as valid scientific indications of impending events.

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So confident was the Roman government about such matters, that some sixty years before, the Roman Senate ordered that all boy babies must be killed in 63 B.C. when astrological and prodigious forecasts had determined a "King of the Romans" was to be born.

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This earlier event would have been well known to Herod and to people throughout the Roman Empire. To secure its supposed validity in the opinion of people at the time, Augustus Caesar was indeed born in that very year. Herod must have felt a great deal of uneasiness when similar prognostications were being made by the Magi about a king of the Jews who had just been born. End of quote..

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Herod would have been both concerned that a rival ruler had been born in his Jurisdiction but also afraid of the Roman government coming down on Him for not ensuring a potential ruler was not tracked down and put to death.

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Harrod had the precedent set by the Roman government which had ordered all boy babies born in the entire empire put to death 60 years before, for his order to kill all boys 2 years and under in Bethlehem!

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What star did the Magi see? Ernest L. Martin writes on pages 55-59, entitled “The Proper Star of Bethlehem”. “Recall that the account in the New Testament said the Magian astrologers saw the star rising above the eastern horizon. And in August 12, 3 B.C., Jupiter rose as a morning star which soon came into conjunction with Venus.

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That started Jupiter off on a journey in which six conjunctions with other planets and the star Regulus took place. The final planetary union was the massing of the planets which occurred with Mars, Venus and Mercury on August 27, 2 B.C.

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But there was one more spectacular astronomical display that involved the planet Jupiter at the end of 2 B.C. The planet soon left its "massing" with the other three planets and continued in its apparent motion westward each morning as viewed by the Magi at their regular pre-dawn observations.

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If the Magi began their own journey toward Jerusalem near this time, this apparent westward motion of Jupiter each day could have indicated to the Magi to proceed in the same westward direction toward Jerusalem. They could have been "following" Jupiter in the example it was setting.

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The Bible says the star "went ahead of them." The text could well mean that the Magi let Jupiter lead them in this symbolic fashion. I will give more on this in a moment. Then note what took place. Upon reaching Jerusalem the Magi were told * to look toward Bethlehem for the newborn king. * *(by the scribes)

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This happened when the New Testament says the "star" came to a definite halt in the heavens. It stopped its motion of leading the Magi and "stood over where the young child was." In a word, the celestial body became stationary. Let us now note one point carefully.

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The text does NOT say the star stood over the house. Some have imagined that this is what Matthew meant. This assumption is totally unwarranted. Such presumption is reading into the text what is not there. What the New Testament states is that the star became stationary. But who ever heard of a star becoming stationary in the heavens?

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The Star Stood Still! It is this description of the star standing still that has caused many interpreters to characterize the whole episode in Matthew as either fictitious or a miraculous event. Most people find it difficult to imagine a normal heavenly body having the capability of stopping its movement over a small village in Palestine.

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At first thought, a person might agree that such a thing appears impossible. But maybe the account is not as ridiculous as it may seem. In truth, there is not the slightest difficulty for such a thing to happen.

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The truth is, Matthew was simply describing a celestial phenomenon in popular language that all astronomers and persons acquainted with basic planetary motions would have been fully aware. Planets do come to a "stop" at prescribed times in their heavenly motions. This happens at the time for a planet's retrogression and progression.

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It may be that Matthew was simply showing that Jupiter had become stationary in its motions through the fixed stars at the time it reached its zenith over Bethlehem. The theologian F. Steinmetzer, back in 1912, wrote an article stating his belief that Matthew was referring to one of these normal “stationary" positions of the planets.

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Indeed, Steinmetzer suggested that the planet that suited Matthew's account the best was Jupiter. This is true. Jupiter Does Stop in the Heavens. How is it that Jupiter can come to a stopped position in the heavens?”

(The following illustration shows exactly how as star or planet “stops”!)

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Martin continued...Let us now look at what happened at the end of 2 B.C. Jupiter arrived at its ordinary time for retrogression and it became stationary among the stars. But this time something unusual happened. In 2 B.C. as viewed from Jerusalem, Jupiter came to its normal stationary position directly over Bethlehem on December 25th. That's right!

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Just before dawn (the regular time the Magi would have begun their normal observations of the heavens), Jupiter came to a "stopped" position on December 25th directly over Bethlehem as witnessed from Jerusalem. Not only that, the planet assumed its stationary position while in the middle of the constellation of Virgo, the Virgin. What a remarkable circumstance this was.

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We are told in the New Testament that Jesus was born of a virgin. And precisely on December 25th, 2 B.C. Jupiter "stopped" in the abdomen region of Virgo, the Virgin (in the middle of the constellation). This position was right where a woman carries a child in pregnancy.

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On that day the "King planet" stopped its lateral motion through the stars and remained stationary for about six days. During those days it did not move longitudinally more than one fortieth of the Moon's diameter from its December 25th position. To an observer on earth it appeared completely stationary in the midst of Virgo.

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This would have appeared significant to astrologers. They looked on the Winter Solstice period as the beginning of the new Sun. This period signified to many Gentile astrologers as the time for showing the birth of the Sun.

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It was celebrated in most areas of the world as the nativity of the "Ruler" of the heavens. And the "King planet" (Jupiter) was now stationary in the central region of Virgo, the Virgin.

The answer to question 3.) “How does a star “stop”?” is “it appears to come to a stop when viewed from earth due to its retrograde motion!”

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Be this as it may, how was it possible for Jupiter to be stationary over the village of Bethlehem at that time? There is not the slightest problem for it to do so. The Bible says the Magi saw the star come to a stop while they were in Jerusalem.

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And on December 25, 2 B.C., at the ordinary time for the Magi's pre-dawn observations, Jupiter would have been seen in meridian position (directly over Bethlehem) at an elevation of 68 degrees above the southern horizon. This precise position would show the planet shining directly down on Bethlehem while it was stationary among the stars.

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The answer to question 2.) “Did a star lead the Magi to Bethlehem?” is yes!

But how did the Magi know it signified the birth of the promised “King of the Jews”? The Magi knew it through their knowledge of the sign of the Virgin and the actions of the King Star, Jupiter.

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What a remarkable coincidence this was. And though this period has nothing to do with the actual birth of Jesus, as we will show later in this book, it may have been the time when the Magi presented their gifts to a year old baby, Jesus. End of Martin Quote.

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An ancient legend says that when they reached Bethlehem, apparently nearly at midday, one of them went to the well of the inn, in order to draw water. Looking down into the well, he saw the star, reflected from the surface of the water. This would of course be an intimation to them that the star was directly overhead, and its re-observation, under such unusual circumstances, would be a sufficient assurance that they had reached the right spot. The story has been cited by the Christian astronomer Maunder as realistic, even though unconfirmed.

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This well is still in existence in Bethlehem today. My wife and I visited its location in 1992 and saw the actual well. It is the same well from which, when David expressed a heartfelt desire for water from a well near Bethlehem, which was occupied by Philistines, three of the thirty mighty men forcefully break past the Philistines, draw water from the well, which they take back to David. David refuses to drink the water, instead pouring it out "before Yahweh", arguing that it was the blood of the men who had risked their lives.

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Later in his book, Dr. Martin stated that December 25th of 2 B.C. occurred during the Jewish Feast of Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights or Feast of Dedication. The Hanukkah holiday begins on the eve of the 25th day of the Hebrew month of KISLEV (approximately December) and lasts eight days. In 2011 it did overlap December 25th!

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Because the Magi had come to worship the King born on Trumpets, by observing its motions and seeing it seeming to come to a stop over Bethlehem, they would have known that Bethlehem was the location where the birth had taken place (on the previous September 11th or Feast of Trumpets, 3 B.C.) and so, were “led” there by the star!

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The Star Led the Magi to JesusErnest L. Martin,

While all this is true, there is nevertheless a problem to reckon with. Matthew said the star “went before them.” Since the Magi were then in Jerusalem when this was stated, and because Bethlehem is located five miles south, how could Jupiter (or any planet or star) appear to move from north to south leading the Magi to Bethlehem?

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Does this mean that the whole story must be reckoned as fictitious or miraculous after all? Not really. A careful reading of Matthew may make the matter clear. Weymouth translates the passage, “The star they had seen, when it rose _led them_ on until it reached and stood over the place where the babe was” (Matthew 2:9, emphasis mine (Martin)).

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This verse has interesting and revealing information in it when readclosely. It helps to show that the Magi had been following the star fromthe time it rose which they saw at their homes in the east, and theycontinued to follow it until they reached Jerusalem. The church father Chrysostom also understood Matthew in the same way.

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“For on their way as far as Palestine it [the star] appeared leading them, but after they set foot within Jerusalem, it hid itself: then again, when they left Herod, having told him on what account they came, and were on the point of departing, it showed itself again.”

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There are other indications in the text of Matthew which show this maybe the intended meaning. One should look very carefully at the textbecause it has some interesting points associated with it. In regard tothis, the authors of “The Expositor’s Greek Testament” ask the question:

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“Is the meaning that they had seen the star only at its rising, finding their way to Jerusalem without its guidance, and that again it appeared leading them to Bethlehem? Against this is verse 7, which implies continuous visibility. ... It was their celestial guide appearing again [after they left Herod]: it kept going before them [imperfect] all the way till, arriving at Bethlehem, it took up its position right over the spot where the child was. (comments in brackets are mine (Martin).”

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The use of the imperfect tense in verse 9 shows that the star was constantly leading them, while verse 7 suggests it was a continually appearing star. The star seems temporarily to have been obscured while the Magi visited Herod at his palace (clouds may have then covered it or it may have been below the horizon when they visited the king). Uponleaving the palace, however, they once again saw their celestial guide.

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It had led them westward to Jerusalem, but now it came to be in ameridian position over Bethlehem. It was stationary among the stars and shining down directly over Bethlehem as viewed from Jerusalem on December 25th . It was now pointing out the exact geographical location of the newborn king. (end of Martin quote)

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Thus, the Magi, being Gentiles, would have approached this astronomical relationship from their own religious point of view. Almost all non-Jewish societies placed great emphasis on the occasion of there-birth of the “Sun God” at each Winter Solstice and they had manyreligious celebrations to accompany it.

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Jews, however, would not haveviewed this season of the year in that fashion. Most Jews at the time abhorred these Gentile religious festivals at the Winter Solstice or any other seasons of the year. They could point to the prophet Jeremiah who commanded the Jews never to adhere to Gentile religious customsinvolving the various solstice or equinox seasons of the year. The Jews considered these to be Gentile practices.

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The Jews in Jerusalem would have looked on these astronomical signs in 3/2 B.C.E. very differently. In fact, December 25th in 2 B.C.E. was not a time of solstice celebrations to the Jews. Remarkably, however, it was a period for great festivity throughout the whole of the Jewish nation. It happened to be the precise time for their feast of Hanukkah (sometimes spelled Chanukkah).

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This was a feast of the Jews held near the beginning of winter and it is mentioned in the New Testament as “the Feast of Dedication.” The start of the eight days celebration can sometimes occur as early as November 28th or as late as December 27th on our solar calendar.

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The Jewish months can vary at times as much as a month out of phase with the solar calendar that we use today. But in the year 2 B.C.E., it is evident that Hanukkah began on December 23rd . This feast of Hanukkah was not ordained in the Old Testament but all Jews held it in high esteem. It took on a secular and religious importance that was second only to the Passover season.

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It commemorated the time in 164 B.C.E. when the temple had been cleansed of Gentile idols placed there by Antiochus Epiphanies. The temple had been desolate of its holiness for three years, but in the Jewish monthof Kislev, on the 25th day of the month, the Maccabeus once againestablished the temple services.

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That particular day and the seven days that followed were reckoned as days of celebration for the Jewish triumph over what they considered to be paganism and heathen idolatry. The Jewish symbolism associated with these days is the very antithesis of what the Gentile nations were emphasizing at their Winter Solsticecelebrations, which probably included the symbolic beliefs that the Magi themselves adhered to in their role as priests.

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Hanukkah was considered a festival of Dedication (or rather, ofRe-dedication) of the temple and Jewish people to the God of Abraham and Moses. For this reason it became known as a “festival of renewal.” From the middle of the 2nd century B.C.E. onward, the Jews regularlyassembled each year at that time in the temple or their synagogues.

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They carried branches of trees and palms in their hands, singing psalms to God for the great salvation which they considered they had been given. They looked on Hanukkah as a second feast of Tabernacleswhich symbolized the redemption of the Jews and the entire world to God.

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No fast or mourning because of any calamity or bereavement was permitted to be initiated during those eight days. It was a time of festivity and celebration. The temple, synagogues and all houses in the nation were lighted both within and without by many lamps and torches during the whole period. Josephus, for this reason, called the festival “the Feast of Lamps.” (end of Martin quote)

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Although Hanukkah celebrates a military victory, its major symbol — the Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah — is a reminder of the miracle of the oil. As the Jews purified the Holy Temple, they found only one flask of the oil for the eternal lamp — enough to keep it burning for just one day. But a miracle occurred, and the oil lasted eight days and nights until more oil could be produced.

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That miracle is why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and also why Hanukkah is called the Festival of Lights. The Hanukkah menorah holds nine candles, one for each of the eight nights and an additional candle that’s used to light the others. One candle is lit on the first night of Hanukkah, two on the second night, until all eight candles are lit on the eighth night.

7979The Hanukkah Menorah

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The Magi came to worship the probably 15 month old Jesus the Messiah bringing three gifts, each also having a prophetic meaning: gold, the gift for a king; frankincense, the gift for a priest; and myrrh — a burial ointment, a gift for one who would die. Why would he, who was to die and was to be resurrected again have ordained that they would come and pay homage to Him during Hanukkah?

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Even as a toddler, he actually was the one who had delivered the Jewish nation from the very cruel rule of Antiochus Ephinanes. and the very one who had kept the lamp burning for eight days without a refill, even though He would be rejected by and crucified at the will of His own people for the salvation of all mankind!

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It is interesting to note that the Catholic Church celebrated their “Feast of the Immaculate Conception” on Saturday, December 8, 2012, which would be very close to the date that Jesus was conceived in the womb to have been born on the feast of trumpets on September 11th, 3 B.C.E!

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But whom do they say was conceived on that date? Mary the mother of Jesus! In order to have Jesus born on December 25th, they claim Mary was Impregnated on what they call the Feast of the Annunciation (the day Mary told she would be Christ’s mother) of the Lord on march 25th.

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These Catholic observances indicate the Catholic Church knows when Jesus was born, so their imposing the celebration of His birth on the 25th of December or the time of the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, when the day begins to become longer than the night, and the sun is said to be "born again," "renewed" or "resurrected" is is a deliberate deception.

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John 8:32 (NIV) “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Understanding and Reviewing the truth of events which occurred on December 25th, enables a person to intelligently explain their true meaning when the occasion arises!

Maranatha!

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THE END